OMD, 12-40, and the Oly PPO-E02 flat port

[Furnari]

When I was researching the 12-40 lens, I couldn't find a lot of information about using it underwater in the Olympus OMD housings. It's an amazing piece of glass, so I gave it a shot anyways. The Olympus port charts show the 12-40 with the 4/3 PPO-E02 port and an adapter; I managed to score a used port off e-bay for about 160 bucks, so I set it up and took it to the pool.

I was able to focus pretty close: I got the little green happy light at less than 3" at both 12mm and 40mm, getting the face of the port closer to the subject than I would attempt in the real world (due to strobe placement, respect for wildlife, potential damage, etc).

I also tried the 60mm macro in the port- it works well, although the lens does sit a little further back in this port than it does in the regular PEN/OMD ports. You give up some distance, but gain flexibility for traveling if you don't want to bring a dedicated macro port. Just for grins, I put my 9-18 in the housing, and it vignettes at 11mm (not unexpected). I would imagine that other lenses like the 12-50 and 75mm would also work.
I'm attaching a few test shots...
The first is at 12mm, the second at 40mm, the third is with the 60, and the last is at 12mm- all at f2.8 and 1/320. The split is edited to make it pretty, the ruler shots are straight out of the camera. View attachment P7080318.jpgView attachment P7080320.jpgView attachment P7080345.jpgView attachment P7080338-1.jpg

Hope this is helpful- I think this port is a good option for folks with the Oly housing, and I'm guessing it would be even better with a wet lens on the front- hint hint, Jeff

 

[succinum_audiometrist]

Hi Furnari, Thanks for the post! I've got the E-M1 and the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens aswell and am thinking of getting the PT-EP11 casing along with Port PPO-E02 so that I can use the 12-40 and the 60mm f/2.8 macro that I'm planning to purchase soon (for exactly the same reason you mentioned - flexibility when travelling). I'm just wondering exactly how much 'distance' you lose with the 60mm, whether the PPZR-EP03 Focusing Gear for the 60mm works with the PPO-E02 (Olympus' chart shows it being used with the PPO-EP01), and whether the PAD-EP08 port adapter is required for either lens. Do you also happen to have any sample images up, both of the housing and port setup, and perhaps any shots? Thanks in advance!

 

[Furnari]

Hi Dred- I'll try to get a pic this weekend of the 60 inside the flat port to show where the lens sits. I haven't dove with that combination as I also have the regular flat port intended for other lenses; most of my diving is local, so that option makes a little more sense if I know it's going to be a macro dive (my last dive was at the Oregon coast and featured 2 feet of visibility). For an upcoming Bonaire trip I'll bring the E02 flat port as I now have a swing away diopter holder for use with the 12-40 and 60 (see my other thread in this forum). Although I haven't tried it, I'm confident the focus gear for the 60 will work as the mating gear is on the housing, not the port. The zoom gear for the 12-40 works fine.

All that said, before you buy the flat port, consider trying to get a 170mm dome for better wide angle performance (see my other, other thread in this forum). That's what I plan on using most of the time. For a one port solution, the 60 still works- just with less magnification. I ended up with an Inon dome and 2" extension, but the Olympus E04 dome will also work, although I think it requires a 1" extension. I could be wrong about that- if so, I hope someone else will chime in. With either of those domes or the E02, the EP08 port adapter is required. Just last night I found an updated Olympus port chart for the E-M1 confirming that the 7-14 Pro will fit in the PT-EP11 housing with the E04 dome, so I've got my fingers crossed that the Inon dome will also work.

A lot of divers turn up their noses at the Olympus housing, but it's lots cheaper and has more ports available to it than the Nauticam or Aquatica. I dive with dry gloves and have no problem with button placement; I suspect it's also lighter than the all aluminum options. I wouldn't mind a vacuum system, though.

 

[Furnari]

Here's a shot of the 60 sitting inside the dusty flat port. The front of the lens is about an inch and a half back from the glass. It looks like the shots I put in the original post didn't come through, so I'm attaching one I took in the pool with the 60 at the closest focus distance I could get with the flat port.

 

[succinum_audiometrist]

Thanks Furnari for all that! I did a bit of looking around the other week and came across the meikon housing for the E-M1 that is also designed for the 12-40 f/2.8. The 60mm macro apparently fits in the housing too so I'm considering getting that instead for a fraction of the amount I'd end up spending on the Oly housing and port. I figured I would use the money I'd end up saving for much better strobes. The reviews that I've found so far seem to be fairly positive (for the newer Meikon housings) and one of the distributors here is willing to throw in a 2-arm tray with a reduced price..

Does anyone have any experience with Meikon housings here?

 

[EskilJ]

Thread about the Meikon housings just a few posts down..
Meikon EM1 housing, any experience?